AROUND TOWN: Braz leaves rich legacy in Abington baseball annals

If you grew up in the Abingtons and played baseball, chances are you knew Jack Braz.

If you were any good, chances are you should thank him, too.

Braz, who taught a generation of young men how to play the game and how to respect it, died last Saturday after an illness. He was 77.

There are plenty of side-splitting stories about Jack, some tame enough to tell.

“My famous story how we first met came in Little League,” said long-time cohort, teammate and dear friend Jerry Sherman. “He was pitching against us, 11 years old, and I was catching for the other team. I got a single to break up his no-hitter, and when he came to the plate next time he said, ‘Kid, next time you bat I’m throwing right at your head.’

“From that point forward, we were good friends and did lot of things together.”

Served our country together. Played ball in Germany for an Army team. Won a couple of state modified softball championships with Hannon’s Bar and Parker House. Coached their sons and showed them what it took to be successful players — lessons they all learned.

“Like I told his family, all I remember is the good times and what a good guy. He was dedicated at anything he did. He was just a fun guy. You never knew what to expect from him,” Sherman said.

Occasionally, even his players were caught off guard by what he did.

“Sometimes it’s a grind, especially when it’s really hot,” said Jim Davis, a star pitcher for one of Braz’s best American Legion teams who went on to captain Duquesne’s baseball team for two years. “He was a guy who always kept things in perspective. Down at Ackerly (Field), we’re on a roll and it was hot, 90s, and he didn’t say anything about it. He just said, let’s go sit in the shade in left field.

“He sent somebody to get a couple two-liter bottles of soda and the other team shows up and there we are sitting out there. They must have thought we were cocky. Then we went out and smoked them. He knew how to keep you sharp.”

He also instilled his love of the game in others, and maybe more importantly, reminded them it was still a game.

“He made every game and every practice enjoyable,” Davis said. “I can say without hesitation, one of the things for all of us was, we all enjoyed coming to the field. He was that kind of guy.

“Talking situational things, adding a little joke. I relive a lot of laughter of that season.”

That’s part of Braz’s legacy.

“He enjoyed the game and our time together, but wanted to take it seriously,” Davis said.

Davis was just one of many ballplayers Braz helped to realize their potential, and he helped Davis develop something that has served him well in his time as a coach.

“It became less about baseball and more about the experience and enjoying the experience,” Davis said. “I have kids now, 10, 7 and 3. I become frustrated about how kids aren’t enjoying the game as much as I did. Jack was a big part of that and me having that for my kids.

“You have to enjoy it.”

Not only enjoy it, but savor it. That’s a lesson many of us learn a little too late.

“I do regret that a few times as I was driving home I would see Jack and pull over and talk to him about a few things,” Davis said. “I didn’t do it enough.

“He was a great man.”

Contact the writer:

mmyers@timesshamrock.com @mmyersTT on Twitter

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